The Enchanted Greenhouse

Spellshop #2

by Sarah Beth Durst

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Romantasy

375 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2025

About the author

Sarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Beth Durst’s The Enchanted Greenhouse is a beautifully written tale of second chances, self-discovery, and the healing power of community. At the heart of the story is Terlu Perna, who is punished for creating a magical, sentient spider plant out of loneliness. Her punishment—being turned into a wooden statue and left forgotten in a library—seems like the end of her story. But one winter day, Terlu wakes up on a mysterious, nearly deserted island filled with magical greenhouses, where her journey truly begins.

Cold, hungry, and uncertain, Terlu finds an unlikely ally in a grouchy gardener who offers her warmth, food, and kindness. As she explores the enchanting greenhouses, she discovers they are dying, their once-thriving magic fading. Determined to save the island, Terlu teams up with her new friend and a witty, sentient rose to uncover the secrets of a long-lost sorcerer. Together, they face challenges that test their courage and resilience, proving that sometimes, breaking the rules is worth it when it’s for a greater good.

This novel shines with its vivid imagery and rich details, from the wonder of singing flowers to the comfort of freshly baked honey cakes. The greenhouses are magical spaces filled with surprises, and the interactions between the characters are warm and heartfelt. Durst masterfully weaves themes of forgiveness, redemption, and belonging into a story that feels as comforting as it is adventurous.

Whether you’re already a fan of Durst’s previous works or discovering her for the first time, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a treat for the imagination. It’s a story of hope, love, and the beauty of finding your place in the world, perfect for readers who enjoy cozy, magical tales with a lot of heart.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for sharing this unique fantastic journey's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Soft Nectarine ~]

A SEQUEL?! Just when I thought NOTHING could top the cuteness & coziness of the Spellshop. Enchanted Greenhouse with a grump Gardner 🪻🌻

AND THE COVER?! Give me 14 ‘em!

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✩ 4 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Grumpy x Sunshine
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Lonely x Lonely
➼ A Winged Cat
➼ Sentient Talking Plants
➼ Found Family
➼ Healing
➼ Cozy Fantasy
➼ Narrated by Caitlin Davies
➼ Third Person POV

Nobody does cozy fantasy like Sarah Beth Durst! I was completely charmed by this sweet story but it wasn’t without depth. This is a classic tale of two lonely people finding each other. Terlu’s story begins with her standing trial for the crime of using forbidden magic to create a sentient spider plant to keep her company in The Great Library. She is given the heavy sentencing of being turned into a living statue and is forced to live in frozen detached darkness for years when she is shut away in a storage closet.

Terlu’s back story made her the perfect match for a grumpy gardener named Yarrow who had been living alone on the Island of Belde caring for the enchanted greenhouses. He was the epitome of a caretaker and she desperately wanted to help and be useful. I loved how well their strengths and weaknesses complimented each other and the lengths they were each willing to go to for the other. The island had its challenges, but it ended up being such a soft place for her and many others to land. This book truly felt like a warm hug! Just the sweetest read. 💖

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: Don’t let me down girl. 🤞🏻

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

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[Ricarda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Beth Durst really is in her cozy fantasy era and I can only approve of that. She's back with a companion novel to The Spellshop, but the two books are only loosely connected and you can totally just read The Enchanted Greenhouse if you want to. This time we get the cozy goodness on a lonely island inhabited by a handsome gardener and his winged cat, a bunch of singing and talking plants, flower birds, and the cutest little pollinating dragons. The island is also home to said enchanted greenhouse, which actually is a huge structure of hundreds of greenhouses, one more magical than the next. It's also the place where the main character Terlu finds herself after she spent some time as a statue, now back in flesh and bone and with no idea how and why she ended up there. She meets the handsome but unsocial gardener Yarrow and soon learns that the greenhouses are progressively dying as the old spellwork begins to falter. It seems like it's up to her to renew the spells, although that's what got her severely punished via statuefication in the first place. Still, Terlu can't just do nothing, and so she starts to sort out the mess of the previous sorcerer while also making a new home for herself. Learning a new craft or fixing something up is an important part of a cozy fantasy for me, and I'm glad that it's included in this story as well. There was way less gardening than I expected there to be, at least by the main character, but Terlu was more responsible for the "enchanted" part than for the "greenhouse" part of The Enchanted Greenhouse. I also liked her as a character in general. She was craving human connection but had a hard time with actually finding it, because she just always ends up in lonely places and tries way to hard when it comes to other people. Yarrow is a good match as her quiet counterpart, only getting chatty when it comes to the plants of the greenhouse. He did feel almost too perfect in the beginning, though. He was passionately working on the island all alone, but as soon as Terlu arrived he was super considerate to her as a stranger, letting her live in his house and providing her with a sheer infinite amount of delicious food. It was a bit too much for me. His character eventually got some depth when his relationship with his family was explored, so it was fine in the end. Terlu and Yarrow's relationship was ok, but it was annoying how Terlu thought that Yarrow actually disliked her while she was also strangely horny for him since their very first meeting. It's the same dynamic as in The Spellshop, and I couldn't stand it there either. (Girl, if he cooks and bakes for you everyday and lets you sleep in his bed and helps you with literally everything all day long, he likes you.) I also must admit that I wasn't a big fan of the talking plants. I can deal with one or two, but a whole group is a lot, especially with the severe lack of human characters in the first half of the story. They were quirky and diverse, but they just didn't feel like actual characters to me. It got better when more humans joined the story and I liked how the lonely island slowly turned into a lively community again. The theme of loneliness was interesting and I liked how it was portrayed in such a variety: being left behind, being forced to be alone, being peacefully by yourself, being lonely even when surrounded by people. That part was done very well in my opinion and it gave more depth to an otherwise cozy and light story. I think it could have been a little shorter, but overall a good read for me.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan / Tor for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Alylally ⛰️⛺️⛈️ {SEMI-HIATUS-TRAVELING} · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so very cute. Still low stakes and cozy fantasy, but I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one. I almost didn't love the characters all that much. I loved the first book characters wayy more.

We still have our talking plants and very minimal romance. The love interest was kinda boring so that wasn't a good plus for this one. The magic is fun but it is still lacking from book one. I am sooo disappointed 😩

Oh well. Hopefully onto better! ❤

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

i found the story interesting but i didn’t think the fmc and the mmc had any chemistry at all, they genuinely felt like just friends to me. i thought the fmc was very basic and boring like a typical main character that’s supposed to just move you through the plot.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful companion to The Spellshop! The Enchanted Greenhouse is a cozy fantasy set in the same world but with different characters. It follows librarian Terlu Purna, the creator of Kaz (the sentient spider plant from book 1) who was punished for using illegal magic by being turned into a wood statue. Years later, she awakens in a magical greenhouse on a distant island where the lone remaining gardener (a gruff and introverted man who is handsome and an excellent baker) is struggling to maintain things after the death of the death of the island wizard and the degradation of the spells maintaining the greenhouses.

We get a grumpy/sunshine slowburn romance with a plus-size heroine, more sentient plant companions, and a lovely story about letting people in, finding healing, and embodying your purpose. If you liked The Spellshop you should definitely pick this up. The audio narration is great, the perfect cozy vibes with wonderful characters! I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

So freaking cute! I think I preferred the romance and found family more in book one, but I was so pleasantly surprised when I started reading and found out who our heroine was! She's dropped in this small town and has to help save the green houses with the grumpy man whose house she has to stay in. They work together and a lot of the book is confined to mostly them, so I really loved when more people were brought in later on in the book. The magical element was fun as they worked to solve the mystery of what was happening to the greenhouses. I loved the heroine's connection with magic and watching her trust herself and learn how to wield magic from her books. I just love the settings and whimsey in this author's books and cannot wait to read more of them!

[Kendall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I fear cozy fantasy may not be for me.

Some things to expect inside:
~ Cozy vibes
~ Sentient plants
~ Grumpy X Sunshine
~ Unique Creatures
~ Magic


This book was almost a copy paste of the last one. The personalities of the two main characters were almost identical, and sadly, I found myself bored. There were moments I really enjoyed, but this book was extremely repetitive and it was hard to read over the same thoughts and conversations.

I hate being in the minority for books that have a really good rating! I wanted to love this so bad since I did enjoy the last one. I feel like she was trying to recreate the most popular things in that book and just put them in this one, and for me, it didn't pan out. I ended up skimming the last 20%.

[Sophie Arsenault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t wait for this to come out!! The Spellshop was so magical! Also heard it will be set in the same world!!! 💜💜💜

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in this series, The Spellshop, was my introduction to this genre called Cozy Fantasy. Upon finishing, I became a big fan of this genre and couldn’t wait to get my hands on The Enchanted Greenhouse!

The book summary indicates The Enchanted Greenhouse can be read as a standalone but I personally recommend starting with The Spellshop. It’s true that The Enchanted Greenhouse focuses mainly on different characters but I think starting with The Spellshop gives a good introduction to this amazing world that Sarah Beth Durst has created.

Once again, I am thoroughly enchanted by this gorgeous cover! And yes that is a cat with wings on it! I remember my favorite character in The Spellshop being a spider plant. Well, The Enchanted Greenhouse has no shortage of talking plants! In fact, some of these plant characters are more self-aware and emotionally intelligent than a lot of humans I know! 🙃

The Enchanted Greenhouse provided all the sugary sweetness I was hoping for. If you enjoyed The Spellshop, I believe you will enjoy The Enchanted Greenhouse as well!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 stars.

This was so beautiful. I was crying towards the end in love and hope and all the warm feelings.

The author says, "I wrote The Enchanted Greenhouse because I believe that everyone deserves hope and love and friendship and second chances and magic in their lives. Also, honey cakes, tiny dragons, and a winged cat. I wrote it because I believe there is light after darkness, warmth and wonder to be found even in the coldest of winters, and kindness in the world that can heal us."

And once again, the author achieved what she attempted. This book is a light in the darkness and ignites hope for love and a future in a world of violence and unjust laws.

If you've read book 1, this is a delight because you get to learn about the librarian who brought Caz to life. If you haven't read book 1, GO READ IT!!!!!

Terlu is a librarian for the Great Library and is LONELY when she creates a sentient plant to keep her company. She's an extrovert who has left her home in search of meaning and a mission. But, she ends up alone more often than she expected and her aching loneliness drives her to break the law and create a companion for herself. She's found out and condemned to be a statue to act as a warning to others who would try to take power for themselves. Her boss doesn't agree that this is a just punishment, but the system is unjust and corrupt and the prologue sees her turned into a wooden statue and forgotten.

I was concerned that she was a statue for many years and I cannot deal with the heartbreak for her to have missed out on tons of life. Thankfully, it's only been 6 years (though that's still a long time) so the world isn't completely different when she wakes on a strange island.

The only other person on the island is a gardener, Yarrow, who is trying to save a failing enchanted greenhouse and hopes that Terlu holds the answers. She does, but it takes the whole book to find them and their journey towards each other, towards healing, and towards a more just and loving world. There is a winged cat, tiny dragons, talking plants, and so much more.

The romance is light while being so meaningful and lovely.

Everyone needs therapy, but they still get healing and help even without a trained professional.

This is a cathartic story where we get to see healing from childhood hurts. There's a part where Yarrow's dad acknowledges harm he did. It was beautiful and probably the biggest fantasy part of the book!

I loved this. It was sweet and cozy and wonderful.

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 ⭐️ Can a fantasy be a little too cozy? Yes it can, especially if it reads like a bedtime story. It’s rich, descriptive, brimming with whimsical charm. Something that is so straightforward and brings feel-good vibes. There’s a sprinkle of romance that gives off grumpy x sunshine vibes and sassy characters that make you giggle and smile. It’s a comfort read for those who need something chill. I just wanted to crawl under my comforter and transport myself to the Enchanted Greenhouse!

Terlu is a librarian who drifted through life, always wanting and reaching but never having. Never fitting in, a little empty and always feeling lonely. Until she meets Yarrow, a gardener who settles her doubts and weeds out her fears. After being stone-ified for six years, she wakes up on island of Belde, an island full of creatures, magical plants and a cute gardener who is working himself tirelessly trying to save the greenhouses. Together, they begin rebuilding this enchanted island.

The book alone wins on the beautiful and charming imagery of enchanted, cozy green house that you just want to snuggle in. The romance was cute and slow and the story didn’t have much world building—it was basic and completely appropriate for kids 12+. The warmth, the characters were the heart of the story. From a sassy rose, a winged cat and little dragon pollinators, the gentle little creatures stole the show. The sentient plants somewhat reminded me of the Little Shop of Horrors!

As this is not my first book by Sarah Beth Durst, I noted that her writing heavily focuses on the inner thoughts’ and fears’ of the main character. While this does remind the reader of the characters’ worry, I think the repetition gets in the way of natural order of things. Less is always better, in my opinion. Nevertheless the author did a terrific job.

[Jace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely everything I love in a cozy fantasy! It’s set in such an atmospheric island with the most lovable and quirky characters. It’s full of wonderful imagery that makes you feel so warm inside {just like a greenhouse}. It’s a magical slice-of-life following Terlu and Yarrow as they discover and recover the magic of the greenhouse on their remote island. It’s a story of healing and loving yourself. It’s a story full of hope, found family, and a tender quiet romance. It’s a book that is meant to be taken slow with a cup of tea and honey cake. Definitely for fans of House in Cerulean Sea and Emily Wilde. I absolutely loved it and was just what I needed! Thank you so much NetGalley for the early copy— can’t wait for you guys to read this one!!

[✨Yuhh✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 38%

The cover is cute, the characters not so much. Everyone was annoying and there was a lot of repetitive thoughts/conversations. The side plant character was whiny and bossy, the male love interest remote, non-communicative, and lacking in interest of FMC. FMC had low self esteem and only did things to make others like her, hopefully she grows out of this but I wasn't really interested in following the journey.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Beth got me over here crying over houseplants and craving vegetable casseroles . . . how does she do it?!

So precious and cozy! So romantic! So delicious! Like a warm hug and a cup of hot chocolate in book form! And there are even dragons!

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. I'm never disappointed with Sarah Beth Durst's cozy fantasy books. The Enchanted Greenhouse is everything I needed and wanted ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.

If you loved The Spellshop, you're going to adore this one so much as well. The setting is another magical island, but this time, you'll get to enter some pretty impressive, enchanted greenhouses. HUNDREDS OF THEM! Our protagonist Terlu arrives there in the form of a wooden statue after being convicted and punished when she made Caz (aka the sentient spider plant in The Spellshop). It was such a nice connection between one book and the other. You basically know in The Spellshop that someone made Caz and that person was punished for doing magic, and that's pretty much everything you know about Terlu back then. But in The Enchanted Greenhouse, you meet her and fall madly in love with her story as well.

If you also are a fan of romance, the romance in this book is wonderful, sweet, and soooo wholesome. It's a slow burn between two very lonely people who have been left behind by a lot of people. So, they are unfamiliar with love, care, friendship, and overall the feeling of being wanted and needed. When these two meet and realize they're perfect for each other? MAGIC! ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ Finally, someone who understands them and loves them completely.

I highly recommend everyone to read this if you love cozy fantasy books. There's intrigue, magic, romance, hilarious moments, a fascinating group of characters, AND LOTS OF TALKING PLANTS. Also a flying cat. It is such a beautiful book and I hope everyone gives it a chance!

[Jodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, a HUGE thank you to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Enchanted Greenhouse is cosy fantasy perfection.
It's a warm and whimsical, magical story full of sentient plants, tiny dragons, and a flying cat.

The author mentioned in her acknowledgements that it's her "hope that this book can be a bit of light and warmth and a dose of kindness that a reader might need" and I feel like she fully delivered that.

I loved the gentle pacing, the whimsical setting, and how wholesome this book felt the whole way through.

Terlu is such an adorable FMC. I wanted to protect her from the start and was fully rooting for her. And Yarrow? Grumpy, patient, and soo quietly supportive. If you're looking for a green flag MMC, look no further.
Their relationship is full of care and respect, and I was SQUEALING when they finally kissed. That bed scene was everything. (no spice!)

The greenhouse itself also completely stole my heart. I could honestly read five more books set in this world and be perfectly happy. (seriously)

5 stars. I adored it.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed this cozy, cottagecore, feel-good, hopeful, relatable fantasy.

Terlu created a sentient spider plant, to keep her company in the empty stacks of the Great Library of Alyssium. This illegal act of magic by a librarian sentences her to being turned into a statue.. that is until she awakens six years later back in flesh on an island where there are magical greenhouses with every kind of plant.

She doesn’t know why she is there, but the lone shy, grumpy gardener seems to think she was sent to fix the failing magic on the island despite the fact she is not a sorcerer.

We have a winged cat, a sassy, talking rose called Lotti, an ex-librarian who cannot be alone and feels like she is too much for everyone, and a shy gardener who is the only one left looking after enchanted greenhouses and magical plants (and tiny dragons). Also, he is a VERY good cook and baker.

”What do you call a bee that’s been put under a spell?” Lotti asked.
Terlu raised her eyebrows at the little rose.
“Bee-witched.”
“No,” Yarrow said.

I much preferred this to The Spellshop. The plot was more compelling (even if it was just trying to fix the greenhouses and dealing with sentient talking (and singing) plants. The characters and their desires, fears, interactions felt more authentic and relatable.
It felt more wholesome and satisfying.

She’d tried so hard for so long to be friendly, to make friends, to be useful, to please, and she’d been told so often: Stop trying so hard. You try too hard.

This was soft and low-stakes and perfect for a book to binge in one sitting after finishing all my exams!

It did feel repetitive as the inner monologue is repeated and the uncertainties of Terlu are referred to again and again with such similar words.
There is growth though!

One thing that did make me raise my eyebrows (if you want zero spoilers, skip the next paragraph - nothing major) - at one point, they were running out of oxygen and they decide to light a fire? Ummmm…

You don’t need to have read The Spellshop to read this. This actually takes part before and then alongside that book’s timeline. You get Easter Eggs to The Spellshop, but nothing that would mean missing out on this one.

“Then we’d be statues together.” He’d moved closer, only inches away. “They’d have to make a double pedestal for both of us, because I won’t let go.”

Arc gifted by Tor.

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[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terlu is an assistant librarian who illegally performed a spell creating a sentient spider plant. When someone reported her, she was sentenced to be turned into a statue, despite the head librarian's plea for mercy. Six years later she finds herself on a strange island, freed from being a statue by the only inhabitant of the island, Yarrow, who tends to the enchanted greenhouses there. Terlu sets out to help Yarrow restore the greenhouses and sentient plants. I loved the descriptions of the talking plants, the enchanted greenhouses, the winged cat, and the tiny dragon pollinators. The other characters were wonderful, too (except for the judge that sentenced Terlu.) The head librarian sums up her actions: "I did what I thought was right....in fact, I believe it's every person's duty, especially those in power, to reject unjust laws. To choose kindness and empathy whenever we can." Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for permitting me to review this ARC.

[greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

not gonna lie, this felt longer than what it was lol. i definitely preferred the spellshop, but this one was cute, too!

the characters were sweet, especially the plants and terlu, it was nice seeing them thriving.
i didn't particularly have an opinion on yarrow though, he was way too blunt for my liking. i get that he was supposed to be a grump, but his relationship with terlu didn't do anything for me because of how extremely blunt he was for the most part.
also, the more i read, the more i couldn't relate to terlu anymore. i liked the spellshop's fmc better because i could relate to her more.

the writing style at times felt like a warm hug to me, but for some reason this book felt so slow... i felt like i was reading it forever. however, the atmosphere of a cozy island in winter time was definitely there.

the sentient plants idea made the book even more cozy, but at the same time it felt a bit too juvenile for me. at times it felt like a book for early teenagers.
it had a cute ending with nods to the spellshop which i appreciated.

overall, i would still recommend this, i just definitely prefer the spellshop over this one.

[Billie's Not So Secret Diary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Enchanted Greenhouse
by Sarah Beth Durst
Cozy Fantasy Romance
NetGalley ARC Audio
Narrated by Caitlin Davies
Pub Date: July 15, 2025
Macmillan Audio
Ages: All

Six years ago, Terlu Perna, a lonely librarian, broke the law by casting a spell, creating a sentient spider plant. Her punishment, meant to serve as a warning to anyone thinking about breaking the law, was being turned into a wooden statue and placed in the North Reading Room of the Great Library.

Somewhat conscious, fading in and out, Terlu believed her punishment was permanent, but she woke in the snow on a strange island, and on it were hundreds of greenhouses all connected to each other, but some of them were dying.

There was only one other person on the island, and that was Yarrow, the last gardener, and he wasn't all that friendly when she told him she wasn't a sorcerer. Even though he was rude, Terlu wanted to stay. First, because she was afraid of being turned back into a statue, and then she fell in love with the greenhouses. Then, while studying the notes of the sorcerer who created the greenhouses, she awakened a sentient rose.


This is a cute, cozy fantasy with slow-burn romance that is kept behind closed doors, and there is really no violence; only hints of actions are mentioned but not described, so this book is suitable for most readers. The MCs, while typical, as is their growing relationship, their personalities are thought out and unique. For the minor characters, the rose stands out the most, IMO, and I think she could have used a little more personality. A few of the other... spoiler... could have also used some more time in the light. They were unique!

I did find the story rambled. It was from Terlu's POV, and her internal thoughts didn't quit, and got repetitive. It took me almost halfway through before I was no longer irritated and started to enjoy the plot, at least until her thoughts started to ramble again on repeat.

The narrator of this book, Caitlin Davies, did a great job with the different characters' voices, but, IMO, she did get overly excited and spoke a little too fast at times with a high pitch that made it hard not to cringe. I was listening with earbuds, so the high pitchyness was more direct. Other than that, she did a great job!

Overall, this is a good cozy fantasy that's clean, so it's suitable for most readers, something parents could read to their kids.

Additionally, this is a standalone story that takes place in the same world as 'The Spellshop', another one of the author's books, which I have yet to read but is on my list, but I have read other books from this author.

Because of the internal and repetitive rambling that caused irritation and boredom, especially at the beginning of the story, this just missed the next star.

3 Stars

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ★— This was the most wholesome, cozy escape, and I can’t even begin to emphasize how much listening to this calmed me and gave me a much-needed boost of serotonin!

The heroine, Terlu Perna, was briefly hinted at in the first book of this series, so it was an absolute delight to finally dive into her full backstory and see her take the role of the protagonist in this.

This is set on a magical island filled with enchanted, but long-abandoned greenhouses. The only inhabitants of the island are a grumpy, solitary gardener and a flying cat that the FMC quickly becomes determined to help in reviving the greenhouses and nurturing the plants back to life.

And It was just so incredibly cute! The vivid descriptions of the plants and the environment created a super comforting, inviting atmosphere that wrapped around me like a warm blanket. Much like the first book, this story features its own self-contained plot, which the FMC naturally finds herself entangled in.

The male lead, Yarrow, is a dashing gardener with a surprising talent for baking and cooking. Honestly, the descriptions of his culinary creations literally made me want to go out and make them myself.

As for the romance, it was a pretty fast burn. Both characters were relatively quick and open about their attraction. While they did face a few small emotional hurdles before fully committing, their dynamic remained peaceful and pretty open throughout, perfectly adding to the warm tone of the story.

I could go on for ten more paragraphs gushing about all the little things I adored, but suffice it to say: for lovers of cozy fantasy with cute romantic subplots, this book is a perfect fit!

I listened to this as an audiobook and found that narrator brought the story to life beautifully! She individualized each character’s voice with such care and nuance, making the entire experience feel even more immersive.

I can really recommend experiencing this book in audiobook form — this story has the kind of narration that really soothes and carries you along effortlessly.

________________

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! The Enchanted Greenhouse was so cute and fun! I really enjoyed The Spellshop from this author last year and this new release in the series I enjoyed even more than that. This is a cozy fantasy series and I find them so charming, heartwarming, and fun. The romance in this one was so sweet too!

Terlu was lonely and ended up breaking magical law when she created Kaz, a sentient spider plant (a character featured in The Spellshop). For the sentencing of her crime she was transformed into a statue and placed in The Great Library to serve as a warning to all librarians, scholars, and patrons who might try to defy the law. Finally restored to her normal state after 6 years, Terlu wakes up to find herself on a snowy island and very confused.

Terlu finds herself on a magical island filled with enchanted, long-forgotten and abandoned greenhouses. She finds herself on this island with the only inhabitants being Yarrow, a gardener, and a flying cat. Terlu is determined to help Yarrow bring the plants back to life and revive all of the greenhouses! Her romance with Yarrow along the way just so sweet and I loved these characters so much. I’m also always a sucker for cute sentient characters in books and this one delivered! All the characters were just so easy to get wrapped up in and I loved them.

“Sometimes people are going through things that you can’t see cause you’re too busy looking up to them.”

I adored this magically delightful read! I received an audio ALC from the publisher and highly recommend trying it out in audio. The narration was done so well, really pulls you into the story quickly, and brings the characters to life!

[milliereadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to live in this world so badly!

After finishing The Spellshop last week and absolutely falling in love with it, I knew I had to pick up the sequel as soon as possible, and I'm very glad that I did. This world is such a cosy, delightful space, and it feels so comforting. This installment centres around an island housing an enormous magical greenhouse, it's singular lonely gardener, and Terlu, the librarian we first (sort of) met in The Spellshop, responsible for creating beloved Caz, and who has been stuck as a statue for the past few years.

The greenhouses are my favourite part of this book - the inhabitants range from tiny magical dragons and their horde, to one containing an ocean, to one containing singing plants, to one containing flowers that give you dreams - I just want to go and explore the greenhouses forever. Of course, this wouldn't be a book about Terlu if it didn't have talking plants, and this has SO MANY talking plants, my favourite being the lovely wax myrtle Ree who wants nothing more than to be a sailor!

A big theme of this book is forgiveness, both of yourself and of others, and I thought the author handled it brilliantly. Particularly for our grumpy gardener Yarrow, he needs to learn to let people in, and I loved seeing him discover how to do that with Terlu. It's a very tender story, and embodies the lovely warmth that we got in The Spellshop.

Admittedly, The Spellshop is still my favourite of the two, but The Enchanted Greenhouse is a wonderful follow-up, and I am here begging the author to write more stories in this world. Take us to all the islands!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another sweet, cozy fantasy from the author of The Spellshop. The two books are very similar, so if you’re looking for something totally new and fresh, you’ll probably be underwhelmed by this. I think The Spellshop was better, but I’m a novelty addict, so treading familiar ground is less entertaining to me than it might be for others. Don’t get me wrong though, this is a wonderful book!

I think that 50 pages could have been purged to produce a tighter, snappier story. Again, this is just personal preference, and I’m sure the majority of folks will savor every minute they get to spend in this lush, magical world.

I will definitely read everything this author writes, and I can only say that about two others.

[Jackie ♡]

Now after reading The Spellshop I want to read this SO BAD!!! I requested it on NetGalley and I NEED them to approve it

Edit: I was denied 😭😭😭

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I adored The Spellshop. Finished it in record time. This one? Kinda meh. Great premise, average storytelling. Some things made no sense. And it went on about 5% too long (read as an e-galley). The romance is a little too much, too soon. If you like the grumpy man/clueless woman trope, then this is def your story to read. If there is a third book, I’ll likely pass.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first read The Spellshop last year, I was introduced to the cozy fantasy genre. The Spellshop was a 5-star read and was one of my favorite books of 2024. The Spellshop opened me up to several books of the cozy fantasy genre, I had not seen before. When I discovered that Sarah Durst would be creating another book in the same world, I could not wait to get my hands on it. The Enchanted Greenhouse is everything I was hoping it would be and more.

The Enchanted Greenhouse focuses on Terlu Perna, a librarian who broke the law and created a sentient spider plant named Kaz. As punishment for casting a magical spell, she was turned into a wooden statue and placed in the Great Library of Alyssium as a reminder. Suddenly, Terlu wakes up on a mysterious island filled with enchanted greenhouses and no one around except for a grumpy Gardner named Yarrow. Yarrow believes that Terlu was sent to help with the magic that sustains the greenhouses. Terlu knows if she helps, she is breaking the law, but determined to keep the island alive, agrees to help. With the assistance of Yarrow and a sentient rose named Lottie, Terlu might save the island and find where she is meant to be along the way.

This book is the perfect companion story to The Spellshop. The descriptions of the different greenhouses and the magical creatures that lived on the island were so detailed, the story was truly brought to life for me as I listened. I also loved the main characters. This book is definetly an opposite attracts romance. Where Yarrow seems to only shrug as an answer, Terlu who has been a statue for several years, can't keep quiet. Even with the different dynamics of these characters, I loved the slowburn romance throughout this story. Overall, this book is beautiful and a story that I will be rereading many times.

Although The Enchanted Greenhouse is a standalone novel, I recommend reading The Spellshop before reading this book. There are so many easter eggs hidden in this story that brings us back to the events of The Spellshop, and I loved the many connections between these two stories.

The Enchanted Greenhouse is out July 15th.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review The Enchanted Greenhouse. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC - 3.5/5⭐️ (rounded up to 4⭐️) an enchanted greenhouse, sorcery, spells, talking plants, a grumpy gardener, a winged cat…this book had everything I wanted and more! I received an advance listener copy of this book through NetGalley and I just absolutely loved it. The narrator did such a wonderful job at bringing this story to life!

Terlu, the FMC, is awoken from her state as a wooden statue after breaking the law and performing magical spells, and she must uncover the secrets of a sorcerer, that is no longer alive, in order to save the island. Terlu goes on her journey of discovery and second chances with the grumpy gardener and a talking rose she meets shortly after being awoken from her wooden statue form.

Sarah Beth Durst created such an intriguing, whimsical fantasy world in this novel. The Enchanted Greenhouse was such a cozy fantasy book, perfect to listen to or read on a rainy day ☔️🩵